The Town of Gorham was part of the original Phelps and Gorham purchase, it was formed January 27 1789. It was first called Easton, then on April 17,1806 it was named Lincoln and on April 6, 1807 it was finally called Gorham. The soil in the east is a gravelly loam and the west is of clay. The eastern border is Flint Creek and the west is Canandaigua Lake.
The first settlers were faced with a virgin forest. In clearing the land for crops they had building material for cabins, barns and the material to make fences and tools. In addition the trees could be burned to produce potash. An acre of hardwood could produce 60-100 bushels of ashes worth about $3.25 to $6.00. By 1800 New York produced almost half of the potash exported to Britain.(A)
The first settler in the town was James Wood in 1789. He cleared land on lot 54 just west of the soon to be Hamlet of Reed Corners. Other earlier settlers in this part of the town were Silas Reed, for whom the Hamlet is named, John McPherson and Jeremiah Swart. The business interest included a general store of A.S. Winne, a wagon shop of George Tozer, a hotel of Mrs. George Partise and a blacksmith shop. The Gorham Agricultural Association held what was called the Worlds Fair in Reed Corners with a one-third mile track.
The Hamlet of Gorham started in the early 1800’s by Thomas Haistead, who erected a public house. The power of Flint Creek was soon harnessed. Levi Benton built a grist mill and Craft's saw mill was erected in 1808. The Hamlet soon acquired prominence as a manufacturing and milling center, with a general store of William Pulver and A.M. Phillips, a drug store of Bowen Cook, Crozier's hardware and a hotel. There was also a barrel and stave factory. In 1868 a fire destroyed most of the business buildings. They were soon replaced by more substantial structures. North of the Hamlet James Robson purchased 800 acres in 1820.
Rushville was the only village to acquire corporate character. The first in that area was Henry Green in 1799, followed by Captain Harwood in 1799. Luden Blodgett and Ephrain Blodgett came in 1800 and Nathan Loomis in 1815. The Franciscos came in 1807 and the Fergusons in 1813. Samuel Torry built a blacksmith shop north of West River in 1815. Gates Tavern had a good reputation for comfort and hospitality. In 1806 Luden Blodgett constructed a sawmill on West River where it crosses Baldwin Road. Rushville was an important center in business and manufacturing. Only part of the village is in the Town of Gorham the rest being in Yates County.
In the west side of the town Southwick Cole settled in 1805 near what is now Cottage City. He was followed by Otis Lincoln in 1806. When Amasa Cole settled in that area there were only two inhabitants between his cabin and Canandaigua, a distance of seven miles. In 1808 a tannery was built and in 1815 Henry Elliott built a grist mill.
Further north along the lake is the Davis track of 700 acres purchased by William Davis. The southern border is the Turner Road. The Davis homestead is on the corner of Turner Road and East Lake Road.
The Middlesex Valley railroad was constructed from Naples to Geneva in 1892 adding to the growth of commerce in the town. Later in the century extensive apple orchards added to the economic growth of the town supporting stave mills, cooper shops and evaporators for the drying and shipping of apples.
By 1830 the town had a population of 2977 the present population is about 3500 people.
Bibliography
+(A) The change Begins: Settling the forest of central NY. By Alan Taylor
